Live And Let Die - Give The Other Fella Hell!

[@keithbrown8490]

Ahh! Fond memories come rushing back ! The first time watching a Bond movie as a kid (Goldfinger for me) then a year a so later catch Bondathons at my area art house theater then a few years before VHS tapes on television where ABC Sunday Movie made you feel you were watching a world premier royal event.

[@tonybush555]

Hey, many thanks Keith. Regards. T.

[@DavyDredd14]

From Russia with Love (1963) & The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) are my favourite 'James Bond' Films.

[@tonybush555]

Solid choices, Davy. Thanks for commenting. T.

[@SquabbleBoxHQ]

Favourite Moore Bond film.

[@tonybush555]

A good choice.

[@ronaldneal387]

Agree with you 100%

[@tonybush555]

Thanks, Ronald. Appreciated. T.

[@ronaldneal387]

While you at it will you review fighting Mad from 1976.

[@tonybush555]

@@ronaldneal387 That would be the Peter Fonda flick, yes? I think I have a ropey DVD copy somewhere. At the moment I'm reserving the serious consideration of requests for Patreon subscribers, a way of giving them something back in return for their support. But that doesn't preclude you from making suggestions and I'll add Fighting Mad to my list of potentials. You never know. Many thanks. T.

[@ronaldneal387]

Thank

[@christophertheriault3308]

Definitely a movie of its time. Probably my favorite quote from it is describing Whisper's car as a "white pimpmobile". The theme song falls into the very small percentage of Wings canon I care for. While I'm a fairly big Beatles fan and most of my top songs are spearheaded by McCartney (Yesterday, Hey Jude, Let it Be, etc.) for me that was the peak of his career. I just don't see any way he would have anything close to the same popularity if Wings was his debut. The producers obviously loved the theme since it seems like it plays every five minutes, plus it gets a live rendition in the Fillet O' Soul scene. I can't think of any of the other Eon productions where the theme even plays during the film itself, unless the theme from Dr. No is also what we commonly think of as the James Bond theme (haven't watched that recently enough to be sure they are separate tracks). My main gripe with the Roger Moore era is that he was kept around too long. He was already too old by Octopussy and moved into farce territory by View to a Kill, dragging poor Lois Maxwell along with him. If he had filmed the prior movie instead of Lazenby and ended things with For Your Eyes Only that would have been a great Bond career. You might argue that career might still be marred by Moonraker, but you already just had Stromberg in Spy Who Loved Me who is just an undersea version of Drax, so for me Moonraker at worst just cranked up a dial to 11 that was already at 9 or 10 anyway. I think Kananga is a bit overlooked as a bond villain because his plot falls into the very small category of things that could plausibly happen (From Russia With Love is probably #1 in this category, Goldfinger is a maybe, For Your Eyes Only is also fairly plausible... but I'm digressing). He's dictator of a small country so forcing people to grow poppies and doing anything he likes there isn't an issue for him. Diplomatic immunity as a head of state gives him freedom to travel. It's a bit of a question mark as to if he really can smuggle in such a game-changing amount of drugs in a short time, but otherwise taking over the US drug trade feels like a very achievable goal. Pablo Escobar did it with far less starting resources. Just in case Tony never gets around to discussing Man With the Golden Gun, I'll toss out there the fact that the actor playing Sheriff Pepper was legitimately on vacation when he ran across the film crew for that movie, so his cameo was added in as they will filming that famous chase scene where the car does a 360-degree turn after hitting the ramp. A scene that would be totally CGI nowadays if filmed for a Fast & Furious movie. A final shout-out to Baron Samedi, most of us in the US watching TV in the 1970s will probably remember him as the spokesman for 7-up, promoting the "un-cola" with his trademark laugh. Ah, if Tony is such a Thunderball fan then I'm curious as to what his opinion is of Operation Double 007, which features Sean Connery's brother as an academic who gets drafted into filling in for his brother for an unnamed spy agency that just happens to have Moneypenny and M in it. Also featured are Adolpho Celi from Thunderball and Daniela Bianchi of From Russia With Love. I've only ever seen the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version of this and it doesn't seem too much worse than any of the other Bond knockoffs of the era.

[@tonybush555]

If Wings had been his debut band, I don’t think McCartney would have enjoyed much of a career in the music business. It was a cabaret touring pop vehicle for him and his wife, described by superfan Alan Partridge as the band the Beatles could have been - which really says it all coming from that character. Apart from Band On The Run, Jet and of course Live And Let Die, not something I rate. Yet, in terms of sales, popularity, and longevity, he way outstripped his Beatles bandmates post implosion. Yet artistically never matched, for my money, the creative progress of Lennon’s Cold Turkey or Instant Karma or Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album. Possibly not even Ringo’s Back Off Boogaloo. Such is life. Yes, Rog probably shouldn’t have made A View To A Kill, and whilst The Spy Who Loved Me was a show stopping parody, Moonraker embodied the same elements but somehow short-circuited the charm and style and, well, effortless class of the previous film replacing it with the laboured and crass. It’s debatable as to why this was, but my guess is EoN thought “more is more” and took the old Oscar Wilde adage “Nothing succeeds like excess” very much to heart. It was still a box office hit. But then look at Wings. As for Operation Double 007 (or Operation Kid Brother, or OK Connery) I’m aware of it but I’ve never seen it. The involvement of other actors who had appeared in the official franchise movies is best explained by Lois Maxwell who stated she got paid more for it than she did for all of her appearances as Moneypenny combined up to that point. Thanks, as always, for commenting Christopher. Very much appreciated.

[@dgnoel4180]

Tony, I recently discovered your channel and have enjoyed your candid reviews. In the words of Mr Pitt- This might just be your masterpiece. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@tonybush555]

Thank you, D G, appreciate your comment. T.

[@thatguyfromcetialphaV]

This was my first Bond movie as a kid. Connery will always be my 007 but The Spy Who Loved Me is my fav

[@tonybush555]

Good choice, thatguy.

[@alanhouston5874]

Great review. Very glad you included the “names is for tombstones” line A good riposte for anyone who says “why doesn’t the villain just kill Bond straight away” - because as you pointed out, Bond will find a way to not get killed

[@tonybush555]

Thank you, Alan, for taking the time to comment. Appreciated. T.

[@mrcrhartman]

The last 3 films were not James Bond films. They were about some depressed humorless guy with family problems and no social skills that was named for some reason "James Bond". He also was, apparently, suicidal because the way they wrote that last abomination, he didn't even have to die. Guess he REALLY didn't want to be a dad.

[@tonybush555]

Like Tosca, parenthood isn't for everyone.

[@MrDewynter]

Thoroughly enjoyable.

[@tonybush555]

Thanks, Hunter. Appreciated.

[@oilergreg9368]

A spy in a tuxedo..Must be British:)

[@tonybush555]

Hard to miss. Like following a cue ball.

[@thewickerman4083]

Big fan of your videos and I was delighted to see you do a James Bond review, which happens to be my favourite film series. I was brought up watching and loving these films and still do to this day. Like yourself I have read all of the novels and currently in the process of rereading them. Also like you I was appalled to find out that the books are being edited so as not to offend modern sensibilities. I thought you expressed your views regarding this perfectly and with humour. As far as Live and Let Die goes, I would put it in my top five films of the series. It's a blast from start to finish. Kananga is one of the best villains - Yaphet Kotto is a brooding presense, physically imposing, on the verge of exploding at any given moment (of course by the end he exploded once too often), but all of the villains are memorable. The crocodile farm escape, speedboat chase, taxi ride, train fight, double decker bus chase are just a few of the wonderful (CGI free) set pieces. George Martin's score is my favourite of the non Barry James Bond scores. I enjoy the voodoo elements, it gives the film a unique feel. Even people who are not as familiar with Bond films remember this one. Jane Seymour is beautiful, Roger is Roger (I love this guy as Bond). Sorry, this is a long post for me, so I will finish by saying keep up these excellent reviews Tony and I hope to see more James Bond film reviews in time to come.

[@tonybush555]

Long or not, TheWickerMan, loved every word of it. T.

[@HourBuilding]

I am a James Bond fan. Read all the books, watched the films. My favourite being ‘On her majesties secret service 🤦’ Got a credit in ‘Spectre’ and was went to the Premier in London. Woke you just love them. In my Publishing company we had an SAS character in Sabre Six : File 51 affectionately called Nig. Proof editor changed it to Nigel. It was published as Nig. Bit this was 14 years ago before ‘Woke’ got legs. Still waiting for your take on ‘The Legacy’ Keep Swimming…!

[@tonybush555]

The Legacy will happen one day, mark my...urgh!...gasp!...RETCH!...(chicken bone!!!!!)...

[@alanhouston5874]

Top flight Bond movie to choose It would have been good if Geoffrey Holder had been given a bit more to do as he was such an unique presence and paired nicely with Yaphet Kotto’s refined and restrained menace

[@tonybush555]

Thanks, Alan. Appreciated. T.

[@LarryGonzalez00]

It was if my dad did this review. He was a huge Bond fan and made sure I'd be one, too. This was the first Bond he took me to see at the theater (I saw the earlier ones on TV). I was happy just because McCartney did the theme song (was, and still am a huge Beatles fan). This brought back a lot of nice memories. Thanks Tony. PS According to Sir Paul, Linda contributed the reggae bit (What does it matter to ya...).

[@tonybush555]

Well Larry, according to me, Sir Paul just gave her a writing credit to validate her being a band member and went on to give her writing credits on 85 more tracks from Wings and his solo career. I don't know if she had any solo writing credits. Actually, I'm probably being a bit unfair. Anyone can write a song - and trust me, I should know. A good song, though, well...I should know about that too. And you don't have to be able to write songs to get a songwriting credit. A contribution like: "Hey, Paul, what if you use a triangle or flugelhorn on that bit!" is likely enough. Still a magnificent track. Thanks for commenting, Larry. Great stuff.

[@LarryGonzalez00]

@@tonybush555 Actually the theory that's always floated around is Paul gave Linda songwriting credit to increase the songwriting royalties. When he sued to dissolve The Beatles as a business entity, their assets were frozen. No dough was coming in. He was only getting money from his solo songwriting, so adding Linda as a credited co-writer increased what was in his pay envelope.

[@tonybush555]

@@LarryGonzalez00 I hadn't heard that before. Larry, but it makes perfect sense and sounds entirely credible. Many thanks. T.

[@JohnAnderson-jy2js]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who felt the same way when it comes to no time to die every time I would b**** about them killing off James Bond people would just say grow up it's just a movie to me the James Bond films were not just movies they were a right of passage and it always felt good to know that every two years no matter how crappy my life in the situation was you can always go into the movie theater and see James Bond save the world and get laid while doing it yes six different actors portrayed the character but the core element always remained the same for 2 hours out of your life you could suspend belief and cheer James Bond on as he located and destroyed our enemies yes I know it said James Bond will return but it is not the same I remember always making it a habit on whenever I went to see the new James Bond movie on the opening day for the first show I would first watch the film that preceded it as a tradition will never for the life of me understand why they decided to kill off such an iconic character but then again look what they did to Han Solo in the force Awakening and what they did to Indiana Jones courtesy of that twit Phoebe Wappinger bridge but you're definitely right because of that I'll never go see another James Bond movie again

[@tonybush555]

The film industry of today seemingly has an agenda to trash and eliminate the icons of the past so they can rebuild them as trendy, vapid, impotent, politically correct shadow puppets to appease the whining hypersensitive souls and fragile psyches of the woke ideologues. I'm loving the Hollywood strikes. It's bloody great and long may it continue. Anything that disrupts and derails the endless production line of seething mindless pandering bilge they crank out is like a gift from the Gods. In an ideal world they'd never go back to work. And I certainly don't care if they never make another James Bond film. Well, they never will, not in any meaningful sense, it would be in character name only. Thanks for commenting, John. Appreciated. T.

[@hank964]

RIP 007 it was a fun ride while it lasted from Connery to Craig. The only scene that brought down the movie was reviewed Kotto death was really stupid but other then that Moore was great in his Bond review. Again always enjoy your KZbin love nostalgia

[@steadfastandyx4947]

No I'm not a groupie but Thunderball and The Spy WLM are my favourite bonds. I think From Russia with love is the best Bond film.

[@graemewilson7975]

Great and fascinating review I think LALD & TSWLM probably Moore's finest bonds. As to best bond, depends on what I fancy watching. The ending of NTTD is problematc because what we read (& bond appeared to die in those), but on the screen it is permanent, not an interpretation of what you read. And the ruination of numerous intellectual property is deeply abhorrent and bond (cinema wise missed the PC brigade in the early nineties) no such luck this time. Was pleasantly surprised how much you like thunderball. As to LALD I personally love it's permanent insolent manner Bond to kanaga, Felix to bond etc etc. It's reverse racism is not only but very very funny and Moore ably carries the movie. Thank god I have books in original format (Fleming, Forsyth, king & MacLean & Donaldson, Frazer Macdonald books of choice then and often are now.) Great review please do more bonds like to hear your ideas on NSNA . think Harris and holder absolutely top notch villains to accompany Yathet kotto

[@CaminoAir]

OMG.....I just realised (from your comment) that the Flashman novels could be in the targets of sensitivity readers next.

[@tonybush555]

Thanks for a very comprehensive comment, Graeme. Appreciated.

[@graemewilson7975]

@@CaminoAir I know Harry flashman not for the more delicate reader. He truly inspired character

[@dgnoel4180]

​@@CaminoAir Mr Johnson may intervene...

[@jatinderdevgun9093]

Another great review. Tony I can safely say that you do not fork around

[@tonybush555]

There are some who might argue with you there, Jatinder, insisting I do nothing but. However, I'm going to go with your appraisal. Many thanks. T.

[@steadfastandyx4947]

I think I watched an hour of the last Bond film then quit. Fcuk it. They've been rubbing me up the wrong way since Brosnan stepped in.

[@tonybush555]

Glad it's not just me, steadfastandy. T.

[@mrpugster]

Absolutely amazing piece my friend. Modern wokey pokey bond ain't for me.

[@tonybush555]

Nor me, Mr Pugster. I was relying on the financial failure of big money film projects to turn the tide, but thus far it doesn't seem to have any impact, no matter how much money they lose. Never thought I'd see the day when movie studios would prioritise defective ideology over money. Perhaps it's true what I heard once - live long enough, you'll see everything. Thanks for your very kind comments. Much appreciated.

[@tectorgorch8698]

I never warmed up to Moore as Bond but you make a lot of good points here. I hated the Craig Bonds because they became so serious, I mean Serious, I mean SERIOUS. All that shaky camera stuff. Btw, I am a proud bleeding heart liberal and consider myself a SJW who never met a petition he wouldn't sign but I agree with your take on censorship. Of course I do. Even way back in the seventies there were Serious Discussions about what to call Huck Finn's shipmate.

[@mikekemp9877]

just out of interest tony i have a brother who moved to wales nearly 50 years ago to set up a solicitors practice with his local friend in abertillery.since then he moved to blackwood and currently lives in oakdale after retiring about 14 years ago..are you far from there?

[@tonybush555]

I'm about 18 miles from Oakdale, Mike. So, no, not very far.

[@mikekemp9877]

@@tonybush555 i heard you mention newbridge in a review so was curious.had many a pint in my drinking days in the red lion run by dai .known locally as we never close dai!!

[@tonybush555]

@@mikekemp9877 There was a pub-running "we never close Dai" in every South Wales Valleys town. In Brynmawr, where I grew up, there were more than one.

[@tomsenior7405]

Ah, Mister Tony. I've been expecting you to give your retrospective of "Live and Let Die". Hardly the best of the franchise. For the first time ever, I felt concerned for Bond. The scene where Bond, James Bond is cornered in the alley actually made me think that 007 was f*cked. Fortunately "The Fly" gets Bond out of Dodge. Ultimately Roger, the Artful Dodger kills Chief Engineer J T Parker. Ho-hum action along the way, fills the time.

[@pamboskourtoulos5239]

Lets start with the censorship of books.......the Bible will become a leaflet. Robinson Crusoe will HAVE to be on his own. Treasure Island (Can't use children). My first Bond film was Lazenby's, and like you saw the rest as double features. Entirely agree with you with the end of the franchise. You killed him, he's not Bobby Ewing ( if you never seen Dallas, then you won't know what I am talking about ). Bond is white, just like Tarzan, just like Superman, just like The Saint, Philip Marlowe ...the list goes on. Would they like Brad Pitt to play Shaft? The last Bond film was crap, Bond was shown as giving up . That's why we watched Bond, because no matter what shit was thrown at him, he came back smelling of Brut. I like you saw Live and Let Die on holiday in 1973 in Llandudno with my parents, nice memories. Keep up the good work Tony. I am going to read a Matt Helm novel. See if he beats Bond's conquests.

[@tonybush555]

Thanks once more for a great comment, pambos. Very grateful. T.

[@mikekemp9877]

magnificent review! moore actually read the novel it was based on.in that bond goes to harlem with american clothes on has a crash courde in current slang and uses a noo yawk accent! he said i got my guidance in the role from that! in the movie im in a saville row suit blue melton overcoat and short of wearing a sign said i was english! it was the absurdity that strangely appealled to me! i mean this chap is a super super secret agent yet he books into any 5 star hotel in the world and the manager immediatly recognised him! hello mr bond the presidential suite awaits! i couldnt and wouldnt imitate seans grittiness he was the first best and an impossible act to copy.i took the approach that bond exists in this fantasy world of gadgets cars that turn into submarines etc and my way of playing him was to treat this as completely normal had i reacted it would break the spell with the audience. he still did the job but in my way not somebody elses.to talk of bond as a real character and making the films reflect that is rather missing the point.bond is pure fantasy even in the novels its why they sold so well! he drinks 3 bottles of spirits a day smokes a 100 cigarettes tailor made so making him identifiable to any counter agent and sleeps with hundreds of women.he works at an office where they provide mechanics for no other reason than to service his bentley and on his odd appearence there he dines in a canteen that employs corden bleu chefs who cook anything he desires! apart from shagging and gambling he has no life outside his assignments.he isnt a real person just a very well written character for fleming to hang his fantasies on .for the reader he is so unreal and vague it allows them to identify or put any impression they have formed into him.bond is a movie character from a series of exciting novels he isnt real or meant vto be.i wish people today could see that! i think the late sir roger was right!

[@tonybush555]

Thanks for that, Mike. I think Sir Rog was right too.

[@graemewilson7975]

I watched this again. I've not been watching Bonds quite deliberately as felt I burnt out on them. Anyway what struck me is how expertly Hamilton directs with various plot threads withheld from the audiences view-julius Harris seeing Kanaga in the garage is held by Harris looking at him for instance. It's only failure is that it only has one good person of colour in it. After saying that a Bond movie is its own terms not another films. Sensitive readers and movie viewers are a weird lot ---i got accused of being a slaver and coloniser on KZbin last week by some Muppet, who has little idea of how Britain is run by people like Ian Fleming and plebs like us don't get a look-in. All the ism should be left in place as they part of Bond universe (and star wars universe) tasteless jokes abound and the world not a worst place for their existence. Sadly a bunch of knee jerk liberals ruining movie industry at present...

[@tonybush555]

Hey, thanks for watching and commenting on this, Graeme. T.

[@Bugster987]

Bond is (was) my franchise of choice, but like you I’ve fallen out with it. Spectre and No Time To Die were awful. No hope for the next Bond in the current climate either ☹️ We’ll always have the old movies though.

[@tonybush555]

I think we're on the same wavelength, bugster. Regards. T.

[@iknowtheboss4870]

Never liked Daniel Craig as bond. I watched casino royale - was not bad. Then the one with the baddy on the bridge in London at the end. Not watched any since. Bond isn't meant to be realistic - he's meant to be aspirational. He's meant to look like you wanna look, fight like you wanna fight, score like you wanna score - all the whilst still being able to hand glide into a fortress wearing a reversible safari suit with a hair cut you could set your watch to.

[@tonybush555]

After the MTV composite Bond wasteland of the Brosnan years, I confess that Craig felt like a breath of salvation to me, something of a consolidation of what Dalton tried to achieve (more of that in a Dalton movie review coming soon). But, grief and being terminally morose and going off grid, resigning, pretending to be dead every five minutes got sort of old really quick. I'm mostly on board with what you say, iknowthe boss, and I hate that the prime commandment of never ever killing him for real was broken - there was no need, it was unnecessary, it destroyed the mythology. EoN's choice to be definitive and remove any hint of ambiguity means only one thing for me. Bond is dead as far as cinema is concerned. So I'm done. Thanks as always for commenting. Much appreciated. T.

[@renekauts8323]

Sean Connery & Roger Moore are the best James Bond actors ever-ever-ever!!! ***** Daniel Craig was so fucking boring and depressive. No charm, no glamour, nothing! Looked like a psychopathic FSB assassin...